Trinity College hosted its 64th annual Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols in the Chapel on Sunday, December 10, marking the beginning of the holiday season for the Greater Hartford community.

Lessons and Carols is offered to all as a moment of comfort and hope. In its recounting of the Christmas story, the service involves the reading of nine lessons, each followed by the singing of a carol. Contributions to a freewill offering supported students in need, as well as international humanitarian relief efforts.

This year’s special Bicentennial event featured a newly commissioned work by David Hurd, a setting of a portion of Psalm 96, “Sing to the Lord a New Song,” dedicated to Trinity College Board of Trustees Chair Lisa Bisaccia ’78 and Robert Naparstek, whose generosity has supported the Chapel Music Program. The program also featured music by alumni and community composers Paul Lindsley Thomas ’50; Dudley Buck, Class of 1859; Robert Edward Smith, Chapel composer-in-residence since 1979; and Douglas Bruce Johnson, professor of music, emeritus.

To see this year’s full program, visit www.trincoll.edu/LessonsAndCarols

Final from Symphony No. 1 by Louis Vierne; Christopher Houlihan, organ and Doug Perry, percussion

"A Cradle Song" by Douglas Johnson, Prof. of Music, Emer., The Chapel Singers ft. Sarah Washburn

"Sing to the Lord a New Song" by David Hurd, sung by The Chapel Singers

The 65th annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols was held on Sunday, December 8, 2024, a service that was offered as a shared moment of comfort and hope.

A PDF of the order of service is available here https://www.trincoll.edu/spiritualandreligiouslife/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2024/11/Lessons-and-Carols-Program-2024-for-web.pdf

The festivals, offered at two times, featured  the Chapel Singers; Trinity College Gospel Choir; Ellen Dickinson, college carillonist; Elijah Morris ’28, organ; Madison Thompson ’25, organ; Chris Yi ’26, organ; Christopher Houlihan ’09, John Rose Distinguished College Organist, Director of Chapel Music, and Artist-in-Residence; The Very Rev. Marcus George Halley, chaplain to the college; and The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

65th Annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols

The 65th annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols was held on Sunday, December 8, 2024, a service that was offered as a shared moment of comfort and hope.

A PDF of the order of service is available here: https://www.trincoll.edu/spiritualandreligiouslife/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2024/11/Lessons-and-Carols-Program-2024-for-web.pdf

The festivals, offered at two times, featured the Chapel Singers; Trinity College Gospel Choir; Ellen Dickinson, college carillonist; Elijah Morris ’28, organ; Madison Thompson ’25, organ; Chris Yi ’26, organ; Christopher Houlihan ’09, John Rose Distinguished College Organist, Director of Chapel Music, and Artist-in-Residence; The Very Rev. Marcus George Halley, chaplain to the college; and The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

Hymn: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, arr. C. Houlihan

Trio on 'Nun komm der Heiden Heiland,' BWV 660, J.S. Bach—Chris Yi '26, organ

Carol: Magnificat, from St. Paul's Service, Herbert Howells—The Chapel Singers

Hymn: In the Bleak Midwinter, arr. C. Houlihan

In Dulci Jubilo, Cecilia McDowall—The Chapel Singers

Trinity College Associate Professor of English David Sterling Brown ’06 recently was invited to take part in England’s weeklong Shakespeare Birthday Celebration as its inaugural visiting scholar. Brown delivered a speech on April 27, 2025, at the Town Hall in Stratford-Upon-Avon—William Shakespeare’s birthplace—about what The Bard’s work means to him.

Associate Professor of English David Sterling Brown ’06 Honors William Shakespeare’s Birthday

Trinity’s iconic Chapel hosted a performance by Christopher Houlihan ’09, John Rose Distinguished College Organist, director of Chapel music, and artist-in-residence. Commentary was delivered by Michael A. Grubb, associate professor of psychology, based on his seminar, “Exploring Awe,” which was offered in collaboration with Houlihan at Trinity’s Rome campus as part of last year’s January Term. He said that this unique collaboration is an example of how the arts and sciences can meet.

Inauguration Performance - The Art and Science of Awe

The second symposium explored the bridging of knowledge and practice as a hallmark of a distinctive liberal arts education. Award-winning teacher-scholars from Trinity’s faculty discussed their boundary-spanning work and its public impact, whether in Hartford, nationally, or globally.

Moderated by Jennifer M. Regan-Lefebvre, professor of history, the panel included: Davarian L. Baldwin, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies; Shafqat Hussain, George and Martha Kellner Chair in South Asian Studies; Michelle Kovarik, Dr. Henry A. DePhillips, Jr. Professor of Chemistry; and Kevin J. McMahon, John R. Reitemeyer Professor of Political Science.

Symposium II - Bridging Knowledge and Practice-

This symposium explored the role of creativity as an essential human practice. Faculty from across disciplines reflected on how creativity shapes their scholarship and teaching, the complex and evolving role of technology, and the value of preparing all students to think creatively in a digital world.

Moderated by Laura J. Holt ’00, professor of psychology, the panel included: Sarah Bilston, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of English; Pablo Delano, Charles A. Dana Professor of Fine Arts; Kent D. Dunlap, Thomas S. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Biology; and Ewa Syta, Charles A. Dana Research Associate Professor of Computer Science.

Symposium I: Human Creativity

The Word was God, Rosephanye Powell—The Chapel Singers

Now Behold the Lamb, Kirk Franklin—Trinity College Gospel Choir

Dost Thou in a Manger Lie,  Christopher Houlihan—The Chapel Singers

O Little Town of Bethlehem, arr. Houlihan

Once in Royal David's City, descant by Paul Halley

Variations sur un Noël, op. 20 (Choral, I–IV, IX), Marcel Dupré—Elijah Morris ’28, organ

In Dulci Jubilo, arr. Robert Lucas Pearsall—The Chapel Singers

Adam Lay Ybounden, Robert Edward Smith—The Chapel Singers

Hark the Herald Angels Sing, arr. Houlihan

Final Blessing—The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey W. Mello

Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars, Jonathan Dove—The Chapel Singers

Variations sur un Noël (V, VI, VII), Marcel Dupré—Elijah Morris ’28, organ

Seventh Lesson—Read by Suzanne Blancaflor ’80

Variations sur un Noël (Fugato and Toccata), Marcel Dupré—Elijah Morris ’28, organ

Rejoice and Be Merry, Robert Edward Smith—The Chapel Singers

O Magnum Mysterium, Morten Lauridsen—The Chapel Singers

Fourth Lesson—read by the Rt. Rev. John Selders

Eighth Lesson—Read by the Rev. William Beaudin, O.F.M

The First Nowell, arr. Stainer and Willcocks

Held on December 7, 2025, the 66th Annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols marks the beginning of the holiday season for the Greater Hartford community. This service is offered to all as a moment of comfort and hope. More information is at www.trincoll.edu/lessonsandcarols.

66th Annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols (2025)

The Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival Hartford (ASOFH), founded in 1997, is an annual national festival and organ competition with the mission of encouraging and inspiring excellence in organ performance by young emerging artists. The festival has been in residence at Trinity College since 2016, and furthers the college’s legacy of educating undergraduate musicians in the art of organ performance and sacred music in the context of a world-class liberal arts education.

In addition to solo repertoire and hymn-playing competitions, the festival presents concerts in Hartford and the surrounding area, including solo organ recitals, concerto performances with orchestra, and choral presentations which feature the organ. The 2017 festival concluded with a Service of Holy Communion at the Trinity College Chapel, at which The Chapel Singers collaborated with the choir of St. James’s Church, West Hartford (Vaughn Mauren ’07, organist and choirmaster) and the choirs of St. John’s Church, West Hartford (Scot Lamlein, director of music and organist). The combined multi-generational choirs (featuring singers ages 7 through 82) gave the premiere performance of Philip J. Stopford’s setting of Psalm 150, commissioned by the ASOFH in memory of its founder, David Spicer.

In the spring of 2018, the groups reunited at Trinity College to record their collaboration. The audio recording of ‘Psalm 150’ is available at the Trinity College Soundcloud station. [LINK]

The 2018 ASOFH runs from September 28–29, and a complete list of festival events is at www.asofhartford.org. The choirs featured in this recording will collaborate again at the Trinity College Chapel on Saturday, September 29 at a service of Choral Evensong at 5:00 p.m.

About the performers:

The Chapel Singers
Trinity’s oldest student organization, founded in 1825, The Chapel Singers sing at major College occasions, Chapel services, and present concerts on campus as well as on domestic and international tours. The group is made up of undergraduates from a wide variety of academic disciplines who enjoy singing challenging choral music. www.trincoll.edu/chapelmusic. 

The Choir of St. James’s Church, West Hartford
St. James’s Choir is a multi-generational ensemble of women, men, girls and boys, who are dedicated to offering great choral music each Sunday, and for special liturgies, concerts and events. In 2016, the choir traveled to England and sang daily Evensong at Hereford Cathedral and Sunday services at Bristol Cathedral. The choir returns to England in July of 2019 for a one-week residency at Worcester Cathedral. www.stjameswh.org

The Choirs of St. John’s Church, West Hartford
The St. John’s Choirs are well-known in the greater Hartford community and beyond as a center of excellence in vocal training and repertoire for children ages 7 1/2 and up. The youth choristers sing alongside volunteers and professionals in the adult choir. More information about must at St. John’s is available at www.reddoormusic.org.

Christopher Houlihan ’09, organist
The organist Christopher Houlihan has established an international reputation as an “intelligently virtuoso musician” (Gramophone), hailed for his “glowing, miraculously life-affirming performances” (Los Angeles Times). Houlihan was appointed to the John Rose College Organist-and-Directorship Distinguished Chair of Chapel Music at Trinity College in 2017, succeeding his former teacher John Rose.

Vaughn Mauren ’07, conductor
Vaughn Mauren was named Organist and Choirmaster at St. James’s in 2014, having previously served as Director of Music for Young at Arts and Associate Organist at Christ Church, Bronxville. Mauren is Artistic Director of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival Hartford and sub-dean of the Greater Hartford Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. This past July, he directed a Pipe Organ Encounter at Trinity College for teenage organists from around the country.

Psalm 150

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